The present invention concerns forceps, and particularly an automatic retraction feature of the forceps. The forceps have particular application as dental forceps that may be used by a practitioner of dentistry during the normal course of treatment. But, forceps of this configuration may be used in other applications where an object is grasped.
Forceps are generally comprised of two arms or two individual forceps, each including a forcep body. Each forcep body has a respective jaw with a clamping surface toward one end of each forcep body and a grasping handle at the other end of the forcep body. A pivot connection between the forcep bodies, located between the jaws and the grasping handles of the forcep bodies, enables a user to squeeze the handles together which moves the jaws at the other side of the pivot connection together so that jaws or clamping surfaces of the forceps clamp on a tooth in a mouth or another object in the mouth or on any other object the forceps are to grasp. Typically, the jaws of the forceps are manually moved together by the user squeezing the handles together and are also manually retracted by the user moving the handles and thereby the jaws apart.
Especially in the confined space of a patient's mouth and for possible repetitive uses of the forceps for a procedure, it is convenient for the practitioner that the forceps be automatically retractable by the practitioner loosening a squeezing grip on the handles, so that the handles and the jaws will automatically or non-manually retract and move apart. This is typically accomplished by a spring arrangement between the jaws and/or the handles for pivoting the jaws and handles apart around the pivot connection. In this forceps configuration, the practitioner only need grasp and squeeze the handles together, which is the easier process for him, and he need not manually separate the jaws.
For the automatic retraction function to be useful, the spring between the bodies of the forceps must be strong enough to retract the forceps apart without being so strong that repeated and/or prolonged gripping becomes difficult or uncomfortable for the practitioner. The spring should be so placed as to not interfere with closing or retracting the forceps. The retraction is easily effected without the configuration of the forceps interfering with their use by a practitioner in the mouth of the patient. The forceps are preferably compact. The retraction spring force may be generally as equally as possible applied to both of the jaws and handles, and not to one of them, and a spring for applying the retraction force can be easily installed in the forceps.